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Post by Morndakiél on Jun 8, 2010 23:25:36 GMT -5
Ti'nalya bit her tongue and her lip. The copper taste of blood helped her think even though she couldn't name why. She couldn't let go of her retribution--it was her mission! Her goal! She needed to get her people back.
But Tingay was a wise woman of the Omaticaya, and maybe she was right to say that Oshirae would pick her own time.
Ti'nalya certainly couldn't pick it for herself any more.
She growled under her breath, but only nodded and started on her way when Tingay told them all where to meet. She didn't know exactly where to go, but she knew what signs to read.
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Jun 20, 2010 1:07:33 GMT -5
“Ah.” Ne'shrin pointed his hand down. “My bow fell when the Ikran attacked. I may need a moment to look for it. Is that all right, karyu?”
Tingay nodded her approval. She locked eyes with Marsha before chuckling. “You may help him if you so desire.” She nodded in the general direction of where the bow had fallen. “Mind your footing though—both of you. The sap has made the bark slick in some areas.”
She beckoned, for Lu’Taw to come closer in which she lowered her tone to a breath. The young Na’vi’s ears swiveled forward as he focused on the hushed words and listened attentively. His expression of concentration gradually gave way to one of bafflement when Tingay finished and pulled away. “It will make sense when the time is right. Until then, help the others with their gear. Nightsong will know the safest paths to take. Trust her to get you to your destination. I will see you all later today.”
Lu’Taw obeyed the order, though she could see his curiosity burning in his eyes as he fetched the pair of wrist guards he’d promised to Marsha, carrying within himself her hidden message. Whether the three students unraveled its meaning remained to be seen.
“Walk with me.” She said to Ti'nalya when the trio was out of earshot. The words were spoken in the form of an order, but the tone was welcoming. “There is much to do before the day is out.” And with that she made her descent down hometree, her balance confident despite the growing pain in her chest.
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Post by Demarion on Jun 20, 2010 2:33:53 GMT -5
Ne'shrin bowed slightly and started climbing down, waiting briefly for Marsha to follow. He noticed the odd exchange between teacher and student, and, being curious, tried to listen in. He didn't catch anything and didn't want to look suspicious, so he gave a slight smile at Lu'Taw, then to Marsha, then tilted his head away, intent on climbing down. He'd bug Lu'Taw about it later.
The youth clung to a seemingly sturdy vine, lowering himself slowly and peering downwards, trying to make out his bow.
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Post by Cy Skywalker on Jun 20, 2010 21:05:33 GMT -5
Marsha found out sooner rather than later that she needed the advice about being careful on the bark. She ignored the words imparted to Lu'Taw as she looked for a foothold in the tree side. When she saw Ne'shrin shimmy headfirst downward, she felt her stomach knot.
Well, she thought, this is how Na'vi do it.
Her hands and feet seemed made to slot into the ridges of bark and hold there even as she felt her limbs shaking as she crawled onto a branch parallel to Lu'taw's, peering down into the foliage for the missing bow. Her tail tipped over her back toward her head, upsetting her balance. When she leveled it out she found it was much easier to walk.
A lot of the foliage was disturbed from the earlier chaos. Na'vi, Marsha thought, can talk to the trees. I wonder if they can tell us where the bow went? Not literally of course, but...she saw wide leaves with pools of water in their center, and others that were left with only drops, as if the water had sprayed out of the cups when something disturbed them.
Marsha pointed to that area. "How about over here?"
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Post by Morndakiél on Jun 20, 2010 21:17:10 GMT -5
Ti'nalya was beginning to like Tingay...to respect her, like one respected a higher-ranking warrior. Tingay made things simple. 'Wait. Walk with me.' These were commands Ti'nalya could follow without having to think.
She followed the older Na'vi down, being careful not to outpace her. (A small show of deference, but one nonetheless.) Her tribe did not have the giant trees the Omaticaya did, but they were raised by the great cliffs by the sea, and her footing was secure and strong as she followed Tingay.
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Jun 23, 2010 0:02:51 GMT -5
Tingay had remained quiet throughout the trip allowing Ti’nalya time to collect her thoughts and calm down. The trail she had chosen took the pair to a clearing away from the clan, but still close enough should trouble emerge from the forest around them.
The sunken circle of soft moss was roughly four meters wide, the result of one of the trees having fallen prey to the elements. The wind, if Tingay was to make a guess. The mighty roots still reaching up out of the indent like gnarled fingers.
“It is sad to see such a fate befall something so strong and admirable.” Tingay stated wistfully touching one such root. She stepped back in awe when her motion stirred an atokirina from its unseen perch atop the downed giant. Its feather like body fluttered gentle into the air, dancing in the stream of light pouring in from the opened canopy before flitting over to young Ti’nalya. It bobbed before the warrior for a moment, before rising once more on the still air to disappear into the awaiting forest.
“Even so, much good can come out of tragedy and pain.” Tingay concluded softly. Her comment, by context, was referring to the new growth that had taken place after the tree’s misfortune, but her intense gold eyes were locked on Ti’nalya.
The moment lasted a few heartbeats before Tingay flicked her tail and shook her head. “Ah, but we did not come here for you to hear my ramblings. Words are powerful, but the deepest poetry is written in motion.” She twisted her spear around her back into a guard position with a satisfying snap.
“Shall we compose?”
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Post by Morndakiél on Jun 23, 2010 14:47:28 GMT -5
Ti'nalya felt her fangs show in a smile at Tingay's words and how she prepared to fight. The appearance of the atokirina, something that would normally have stirred a Na'vi soul especially in connection to the rebirth of the jungle, had not altered her severe expression. She had felt like a statue, unmoved by wind or rain. Nothing of the jungle would commune with her again.
But fighting, training, was something real and familiar that had not changed. She had recovered her knives in their pouch from where they had been set aside while she was healing.
She wasn't sure what the decorum for attacking a member of the Omaticaya was, but Ti'nalya would never have called herself a counterfighter either. She took the knives from her belt and balanced them in her hands, as comfortable there as if they were extensions of her own claws. She felt stiff and unpracticed, and would have to start slow; if indeed Tingay planned for them to spar for very long before starting the younglings on weapons training.
"I see you," she murmured, and feinted to the right, watching Tingay's eyes. Then she darted in, trying to get close enough that the spear's reach was a liability.
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Jun 23, 2010 16:51:42 GMT -5
Having collected their saddle packs and Marsha’s guards, Lu’Taw had made his way toward the search party.
“Worth checking it out.” Lu’Taw replied to Marsha’s question before he lept onto her branch. Mindful of her precarious balance he took care in handing her the new wrist guards. “These should fit, but the leather straps can be tedious to tie. Best you put them on once we’re on the ground.” Though her other gear was relatively light, giving the woman her saddle bag now with her body still trying to adapt to the looming heights seemed too dangerous, so Lu’Taw tied her supplies to his own for the time being. He’d do the same for Ne'shrin.
“Go ahead and take lead, Ne'shrin. I’m going to follow behind Marsha.” Lu’Taw said in Na’vi. “She’s doing pretty well balance wise, but I don’t want her to slip.”
*** “And I you.” Tingay grinned back before twisting the shaft of her spear forward to capture the first knife. The suddenness of Ti'nalya’s charge closed the distance far too quickly for her to use the lethal tip or to do much to the closing hand, so instead of trying to force the warrior back with a strike Tingay went with the younger woman’s momentum.
She thrust the flat of her spear up under Ti’nalya’s wrists causing the incoming hands to move out of alignment and bent her opponent’s elbows. Hooking the staff behind the now bent joints, Tingay let herself fall back, pulling Ti’nalya off balance. With her freed feet and leverage from the spear, Tingay pushed the surprised warrior over her in a controlled tumble.
Tingay had chosen the clearing because its soft carpet of moss would have absorbed the shock of any such maneuvers. Still she was careful to follow the move through the roll, to take as much of the impact out of Ti’nalya’s landing as possible. To her pleasant surprise, the precautions had been unfounded. As soon as she’d returned to a guard position, Ti’nalya had regained her footing in a stance that could only be described as determined.
Tingay couldn’t help but smile proudly. “I’ve committed that move on warriors twice your experience and never had them recover so quickly, yet here you are unfazed. You have a true warrior spirit.” She touched one of her hands to her forehead in a show of respect. “A worthy fighter.”
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Post by Morndakiél on Jun 24, 2010 14:08:58 GMT -5
Ti'nalya said, "One fall shouldn't faze a warrior, whether it's from standing, or direhorseback...but I thank you." She nodded her head. She was actually surprised that Tingay had stopped after the fall. Her mentor at home, a warrior old enough for agelines to have disappeared some of the spots on his cheeks and forehead, would have come after her in a heartbeat while she was on the ground.
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Post by Demarion on Jun 24, 2010 22:20:59 GMT -5
[[Morn, remember the wait two posts rule, please ]] “Alright.” Ne'shrin confirmed in Na'vi. He slowly started to shimmy his way down the branch, stepping in the places that seemed less damaged and wet. The ground was not far, but the large leaves of the dense foliage hid any sign of his bow from that angle. "Yu th'ought... fell there?" He asked Marsha and pointed in the general direction she had before, his tail twitching to keep his balance.
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Post by Cy Skywalker on Jun 26, 2010 10:41:50 GMT -5
Marsha wobbled a little as she lifted a hand to take the wristguards and tuck them under her arm, but she hunkered down closer to the branch and regained her balance. She looked up carefully. Her body did seem to take to this naturally, though; slight shifts weren't seeming to cause any problem any more. What could make a creature like that? Was it the tail, the reinforced bones....or just confidence? Was this was it was like to be a monkey?
She didn't think Na'vi would take lightly to being compared to humans' evolutionary castoffs.
"There," she replied to Ne'shrin...finding just a hint of native accent in her voice as she mimicked him.
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Jul 1, 2010 9:33:21 GMT -5
Lu’Taw watched Marsha nervously for a moment as she claimed the guards and wobbled on her branch. He was relieved to see she was getting used to keeping her balance and was shifting her center of gravity to stay in line with the limb. If she put in the time to practice, she’d soon be able to run through the branches.
He heard hoof beats from below and saw Night Song waiting patiently at the tree’s base. Her greeting snore had a note of amusement to it, as if she were laughing at the three Na’vi. She looked well rested from the day before and eager for a morning ride.
“Just a little while longer.” He promised the animal. “We’re almost done.”
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Post by Demarion on Jul 10, 2010 12:42:26 GMT -5
"There."
Ne'shrin looked where she pointed and nodded, continuing the rest of the way down to the forest floor. He landed with a slight thump, noticing Lu'Taw's direhorse nearby. “Za’u1.” He said to her and motioned her forward. She shook her head and snorted. Ne'shrin grinned up at his companions. With Lu'Taw's help, Marsha was making it down at a decent speed.
“Your pa’li2 is very stubborn.” He called up in Na'vi.
1"come" 2Direhorse
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Aug 12, 2010 20:13:20 GMT -5
The two Na'vi reached the ground by the time the mare had ambled over. Her large but lean head stretching out to sniff at Marasha...or the leaf stuck to the back of her brain.
"That she is." Lu'Taw agreed as the animal flicked over his shoulders with one of her linking appendages, apparently eager to get moving. "She can be very persistent when she wanted something as well."
He pat the side of her neck before strapping their gear to her back. "Nightsong is pretty good in other ways though. She's patient with her rider and doesn't spook easily on trails, even when predators are near." He smiled up at the other two companions. "Just don't make her wade in mud. She hates getting dirt between her hooves."
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Post by Cy Skywalker on Aug 22, 2010 1:29:19 GMT -5
Marsha smiled at how comfortable Lu'Taw seemed to be around the giant animal. Its breath huffed behind its lung louvers, and Marsha was tempted to step away from its plate-sized hooves. She knew she would be safe in her Na'vi body.
"Am I going to..." It would be far too rude to link with someone else's mount, right? "...ride behind you?"
I'm not ready for one myself--but it sure would be fun.
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Post by Demarion on Aug 24, 2010 11:32:18 GMT -5
Ne'shrin was searching the underbrush nearby. Finding his bow was easy enough, it was sticking slightly out of the ground under a few large leaves. One of his arrows was nearby and he took it as well.
He stood and secured the weapon around his shoulders, putting the arrow back into its quiver.
"I can run aside." He offered. "You know where we're training, Lu'Taw, so I must follow you."
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